Fire
by chibijem
Summary: A fire in the archives leaves.....


Fire

By

Chibijem

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters herein and am making no financial gain from this work of fiction.

Tachibana no Tomomasa looked up from the report he was reading to see the Ryuujin no Miko and her bodyguard and also the man courting her, Minamoto no Yorihisa, standing in the doorway to his office. "Ah, konnichawa. What brings you here to the Palace?" He smiled.

"I was summoned by the Emperor," Akane replied. "He wanted to speak with me."

"What did you do?" Her oldest Hachiyo teased.

"Tomomasa-san!" Akane stomped her tiny foot. "He just wanted to see how I was."

"Am I not enough; now he wants to see you as well." At the young girl's look of confusion, he went on to explain his daily reports concerning her.

"Mou, as if I don't have enough people looking after me." Akane sighed.

"Miko-dono? We all look after you. Not just out of duty, but because you are our friend and we care." The tall samurai told her.

Tomomasa smiled when he saw the Miko's eyes take on a sparkle and knew she was about to tease Yorihisa. "Just friends?" Akane asked the violet eyed man, standing on tiptoe before him.

"Ano…." the samurai looked about and not seeing anyone other than the general, he ran a gentle finger down the side of her face. "Not to me." He blushed when Akane beamed a smile at him.

"I hate to interrupt, but why did you stop here?" Tomomasa cleared his throat and grinned when the courting couple remembered he was there.

"Oh, gomen ne, Tomomasa-san. Isn't it time to end your duties here? Fuji-hime asked me to collect you and Takamichi and bring you to the evening meal."

"Sou desu ne. I believe you are quite correct." Tomomasa turned back to his desk and returned some papers to a cabinet which he locked. "Shall we go fetch my other half?"

They were walking to the Civil Affairs building when a gust of wind swept through the Imperial courtyard. Tomomasa and Yorihisa looked up and saw storm clouds approaching. "Hopefully it will bring some rain." Tomomasa mused. The threesome continued on and as the archives came into view, a bolt of lighting struck it. The energy threw them to the ground, Yorihisa rose and helped Akane to her feet, asking if she was all right.

"Hai, arigato, Yorihisa-san."

"You are shaking."

"I'm fine; I think anyone would be shaken if lightning hit that close to them." She reassured him, laying a hand over his on her arm. Akane then looked to the archives and saw smoke coming from the structure. "Smoke!"

The two Hachiyo both turned and indeed saw smoke coming out of the building. Suddenly there appeared several of Takamichi's assistants exiting; Tomomasa stopped one of them and asked where the vice minister was. "He's still inside; he was in the older stacks researching."

Tomomasa looked horrified and took a step towards the now burning building only to be stopped when Akane stood in front of him and Yorihisa took his arm. "Let me go!" He demanded.

"Tomomasa-san, you need to let the firemen take care of this." Akane moved to one side, causing the general to follow as the fire brigade arrived.

"Takamichi is in there." His eyes begged her to understand. Just then part of the archives gave a groan and shifted. Tomomasa broke free of his companion's grip and ran into the smoldering edifice.

"Tomomasa!" Yorihisa called out and attempted to follow only to be grabbed by the back of his leopard skin by the Ryuujin no Miko. "Miko-dono."

"I will not let you go in too, onegaishimasu." Together they watched the fire crew and then the rescuers work.

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The General of the Left Imperial Guard raised one kimono sleeve to cover his nose and mouth; his eyes were watering from the smoke. He could barely make out the stacks and felt his way towards the back where he was told the vice minister had been. He came to approximately where he thought Takamichi should be when he tripped; he caught himself on a shelf and looked back and down. What he saw made his heart stop. The green haired vice minister and Hachiyo was trapped underneath a large bookcase, unconscious. Tomomasa quickly knelt and laid a scratched hand on Takamichi's neck and exhaled when he felt his friend's heartbeat. Teal eyes swiftly inspected the area for something to use for leverage to lift the debris off his partner; his turned back when the Ten no Byakko let out a pain-filled groan. "Takamichi," Tomomasa knelt once again and placed a hand against the vice minister's soot covered cheek.

Takamichi coughed and blinked, "Tomomasa-dono. What…..?"

"Lightning struck the Archives. We need to get you out of here." Tomomasa coughed.

"Leave me."

"I will not!" The teal eyes took on a hardness that had had men shaking on the battlefield. "I'll be right back."

Takamichi tried to see Tomomasa as he disappeared through the now thick smoke; when the eldest Hachiyo came back, he was carrying a broken shelf. The vice minister appeared to look on as the general slipped the heavy piece of wood underneath the bookcase and braced it.

"When I lift it, can you slip out from beneath?"

"I will try."

"On three then." Tomomasa replied, getting on his knees and placing his hands for leverage. He counted and on three, he pushed up, feeling the heavy piece of furniture move upward and saw Takamichi painfully move away from it. As soon as the green haired official was clear, Tomomasa let the case down and moved to Takamichi's side. "Daijoubu desu ka?" The general noticed Takamichi's eyes were unfocused and wondered if he had hit his head.

"My leg…." Takamichi gasped when Tomomasa ran tender fingers over the limb. Just then a large piece of timber fell near them, flames licking at it. "Forget me, you need to get out of here."

"I did not hear you say that." Tomomasa retorted. He stood and reached down for Takamichi. Taking the younger Byakko's hands, he pulled him up. "Lean against me. We can make it….we will make it." They made slow progress, dodging debris and the fire, stopping only when the general could not make out their path due to the heavy smoke.

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Akane was wringing her hands and pacing all the while keeping an eye on the entrance to the building. "It's taking them too long…." She looked up at Yorihisa when he stepped to her side. "Did you find anything out?"

"They have managed to contain the fire; there is some damage to the back of the building."

"Have they found anyone….."

"Iie. It is still too hot for them to enter."

"I…." Akane didn't finish as there was a commotion. Both Miko and samurai turned to see Tomomasa assisting a limping Takamichi come out of the smoke. They rushed to their friends' sides and Yorihisa took Takamichi when Tomomasa bent forward, hands on knees, coughing. Akane rushed to get some water for the two and see if there was a healer available. "Here," she said when she returned, handing her oldest Hachiyo a cup. She left them once again to search for a doctor.

Tomomasa drank it all down without taking a breath. He handed it back and motioned for Akane to give some to Takamichi. He then stood fully and stared at the smoldering structure. He looked to Yorihisa and nodded when the samurai relayed what he knew. "It was too smoky to tell how much damage has been done from the inside."

"From what I have heard, there was minimal damage to the actual volumes but the building will most likely need major repairs." The tall, blue haired Hachiyo informed them. There was a gasp and they both turned to the vice minister who was sitting on the ground. "Takamichi-dono?" Yorihisa knelt before him.

"My eyes…..I thought……I thought it was the smoke….." Takamichi's voice was panic laden.

"Takamichi?" Tomomasa knelt as well. "What is it?"

"I cannot see." He held a slender hand in front of him as if pleading for this to be a dream.

"Can you make out anything?" Tomomasa asked, taking the hand.

"Iie, nothing." The pitch of his voice rising with his mounting anxiety.

Tomomasa carefully lifted his friend and partner into his arms, "Can you hang onto me?" He asked Takamichi and was satisfied when the younger Hachiyo wrapped his arms around his neck. "I'll have you to the healer in no time." Tomomasa turned to Yorihisa, "Can you go to his house and inform them what has happened. We shall meet you at Fuji-hime's." With a nod the Seiryu member ran off; the general then began rushing through the milling workers and onlookers. He was almost to the entrance of the Imperial Palace when he heard his name. He stopped and saw a shock of pink hair along with purple dodging the sea of humanity, coming toward him. "Akane-dono, Eisen-sama."

"Aniue has his personal physician waiting." The monk informed him.

"Arigatou gozaimas," Tomomasa's relief was immense. His emotions were running riot in him.

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Tomomasa was pacing while they waited for the healer's report on Takamichi's condition. Akane and Eisen watched as the teal haired Hachiyo made circuit after circuit in the room. Akane stepped in his path and laid her small hands on his broad chest. "You need to calm down. The doctor will let us know when he knows, ne?"

"Hai," Wide shoulders fell. "I just wish he would hurry; I cannot stand this waiting, not knowing."

"Tomomasa-dono, Takamichi-dono will be fine," the monk said, laying a caring hand on one shoulder.

"We will all be there for him…and you….whatever may happen." The Miko told her oldest Hachiyo.

A few minutes later, the elderly man slid the shoji open and motioned for them to come in. Tomomasa immediately went to Takamichi; he surveyed the wrapped lower leg and most importantly the wrapped eyes. He sat next to the vice minister and took his hand. "Takamichi….."

"Tomomasa-dono." His smile was wan as was his greeting. He then returned Akane and Eisen's greetings in much the same manner.

Teal eyes looked to the healer, "His eyes?"

"Fujiwara-sama is blind. But," he held up a hand to forestall the next question. "I believe it is temporary. There are cases such as this in my old medical texts. The lightning most likely caused the injury and not the fire. There are no burns to his face and I rinsed some debris from his eyes. I have bandaged them as a precaution."

"Sensei, what will Takamichi-san need?" Akane asked, taking the vice minister's other hand.

"Keep him calm and his eyes covered. He will need some assistance getting around as well. His ankle is severely sprained; it will need to be elevated for the next few days." He turned his attention to the injured man, "Do you need something for the pain?"

"Iie, I can tolerate it. Sensei? Do you really think I will see again?" His normally calm voice trembled.

"Time will tell." He then asked for Tomomasa to join him in the outer room. He looked up at the general, "You will need to keep him calm, keep his mind busy and his spirits up." He placed a small bundle in Tomomasa's hand. "If his pain worsens as I am sure it will, mix a pinch in some water every six hours. I will check on him in the morning."

"Arigatou, Sensei. Though I am not sure where we will be."

"I will stop at Fuji-hime's in the morning if you would leave word there."

"Hai. Sensei? His eyes…."

"As I told him, time will tell. Be patient, give them time to heal and we will see, ne?" The old man laid a comforting hand on Tomomasa's muscular arm. "You were always impatient when it came to being sick or injured; that has not changed since you were a child." The physician chided the now grown man.

Tomomasa smiled softly at the memories, "Gomen ne, Sensei."

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An hour later, Tomomasa helped Takamichi settle on a zabuton in the main room of Fuji-hime's home. Everyone had gathered and were offering their assistance and consoling words.

"Arigatou, minna." Takamichi replied. He was feeling a bit uncomfortable with everyone fussing over him. Not to mention having to deal with the world when he could not see, the first challenge being the meal he could hear being set out. "I'm not very hungry." He said.

Tomomasa, who was seated next to his partner, looked at him. "I'll help you, don't worry."

"I would feel more comfortable if I went home."

"Takamichi-san." Akane knelt before her injured Hachiyo and friend. "Do not worry about embarrassing yourself. This is new to you and we are all here to help. You are family to all of us and we care about you. If you need anything all you have to do is ask any one of us, ne?" She laid a hand over his on his lap.

"Arigatou, Miko-dono." During the meal, Tomomasa gave him directions as to what food and drink was where and Takamichi was able to eat with no messy mistakes.

"Takamichi-dono?" Fuji-hime began. "If you'd like, I can have rooms prepared for you and

Tomomasa-dono."

"Sensei said he would stop here first in the morning since I did not want to commit as to where you would be." The general explained. "Perhaps you should stay as it has been a long day. I know your household can deal with your injuries….."

Takamichi held up a hand which stopped Tomomasa, the wrapped head turned in the direction of the tiny princess. "Arigatou, Fuji-hime, I accept your offer."

A few hours later, Takamichi was settled into a futon. Tomomasa had helped him bathe and he now listened to the general move about the room. "You don't need to stay with me. I'm sure you have other plans."

The General of the Left Imperial Guard looked at his young friend with hard, angry eyes. "So help me, if you were not injured……Why must you always think you are taking me away from something? I may flirt but only because it is expected of me. Everyone has come to think of me that way; sometimes, usually it's an advantage. No one knows the real me, no one has wanted to. Except you. You are the most important person in my life; I have not been so close to anyone since I was a child." Tomomasa's voice sounded confused as his feelings came pouring out of him.

"Tomomasa?"

The teal haired man knelt and cupped Takamichi's cheek. "Know this: no matter what may happen, you will always be precious to me and I will always remain at your side."

"To….Tomomasa……hai….gomen ne." The vice minister laid his scratched hand over the general's strong one.

"Now, you should get some rest. It has been a long, eventful day." After extinguishing the lamps, Tomomasa crawled into his futon next to Takamichi, sighing. He could almost hear Takamichi thinking and could feel the waves of uncertainty coming off the green haired Hachiyo. "Try not to think about it. Sensei said it was most likely temporary. You need to sleep to heal."

"I am frightened." The voice trembled in the night.

"I know you are. It is normal to be afraid of the unknown. Just remember you are not alone in this." Tomomasa reached over and took one slender hand in his. "Whatever comes, we will manage."

"My duties….How can I complete them if I cannot see, cannot read."

"Don't worry about that now. I'm sure the builders will be busy with examining the archives and no business will be conducted for several days. When it resumes, there are more than enough assistants to process what does come in."

"I just don't know what to do or feel." The vice minister whispered.

"It will all be better in the morning. Sleep now." Tomomasa raised up on one elbow, leaned over his friend, brushed away the green bangs and pressed a kiss to Takamichi's forehead.

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After the healer had examined Takamichi the following morning, he advised the vice minister to keep off his ankle for the next two days and to not worry so much. Now the Byakko duo was underneath a tree in Fuji-hime's gardens; Takamichi resting against the trunk with some pillows, his wrapped ankle in the general's lap. Tomomasa was reading a book to him and they would often stop to discuss the tome.

Takamichi sighed, "I feel so helpless."

Tomomasa set the book aside and carefully placed the vice minister's wounded ankle in the soft grass and got up. It took everything he had to walk away; his heart crying out for him to stop, go back and take his companion into his arms. He moved into the garden and started picked some of the more fragrant blossoms, all the while hearing Takamichi calling out for him. He started back and stopped several feet behind the tree. "I'm here." He saw the green haired head turn in his direction. "You are not as helpless as you think. You know where I am, you moved your head in my direction." He hoped this little exercise would help the vice minister feel more secure and give him hope. "What else are your other senses telling you?"

Takamichi tilted his head, not understanding what the eldest Hachiyo meant. He took a breath and realization hit him. He smiled, "You have flowers. I hope you asked permission." He teased.

"You now realize," Tomomasa laid the flowers into the vice minister's lap and sat next to him. "You are not helpless. You just need to learn to use your other senses for the time being. And sometimes we all rely on our sight too much." He then relayed a battlefield story about how hearing and smell saved his life and the lives of his men.

"Arigatou, Tomomasa." Takamichi laid his head on the broad shoulder next to him.

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The next several days were a repeat of the first; the Byakko partners moved to Takamichi's home after the first two days. When his ankle could bear his weight with little pain, Takamichi demanded to be taken to the archives. As he walked, hand in Tomomasa's elbow, he could feel the citizens of Kyou all staring. "They are staring at us."

"Hai, two of the most handsome men of the court." Tomomasa said teasingly.

"Tomomasa-dono." Takamichi's reply sounded like the ones he normally said when the general would say something inappropriate for the moment.

"We are almost there. There are seven steps." The teal eyed general warned. When they arrived at the archives, several assistants approached the vice minister, asking after him. As he answered all the questions, Tomomasa moved to the Minister's side and asked how the rebuilding was going.

"There was little damage to the documents other than some water but the rear of the structure has to be completely redone." The Minister replied. He looked to his vice minister. "How is he progressing?"

"Sensei examined him this morning; his ankle is just about healed, which is why we are here, and his eyes are somewhat better." Tomomasa informed him.

"Better?"

"Hai, he has been able to see some light. It has not been consistent however. The healer seemed bothered by that." The general's eyes followed every move Takamichi made.

"I'm sure Takamichi-san will be fine." He studied his subordinate. "Okami sends his regards. He has wanted to visit but court dealings have kept him quite busy."

"Eisen-sama has told us about it all. I have written to Okami explaining and asking for his favor so I can stay with Takamichi." Tomomasa replied.

The Minister laid a comforting hand on Tomomasa's shoulder. "He'll be fine. Time is all he needs."

On the walk back, they stopped in the marketplace where Tomomasa made a few purchases, one a surprise for his companion when he could see again. "You won't tell me?" The vice minister asked, wanting to know the surprise.

"You will have to wait." Tomomasa replied, tucking the book away. The vice minister had longed for the volume but would not purchase it for himself.

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During the next days, Talamichi asserted his independence further. Each day Tomomasa would take him to the archives, leaving him in the care of his assistants while he reported to the Emperor and saw to his own duties. They would meet for the midday meal and would often be joined by Yorihisa, Akane and the other Hachiyo. In the evenings, they would stop at Fuji-hime's to visit and join everyone for dinner.

It was almost two weeks since the fire and Tomomasa found Takamichi in his flower garden just after dawn. "Daijoubu desu ka?" He ran his hand up and down the vice minister's tense back, trying to soothe.

"Iie."

"What is it?" Tomomasa then wrapped his muscular arms around his young other half, pulling Takamichi against his broad chest.

"It has been two weeks and I still cannot see."

"It may take a little longer. Every person is different."

"I am so terrified that I will never see again. I know I saw light before but since then nothing. Maybe I imagined it?!" He began trembling in the general's arms.

"Do you know what I think? I think you just need some more time _and_ I think you need not to worry so much. You must remain positive in your outlook."

"Do you know what I will miss most should my sight not return?" He twisted in Tomomasa'a arms and tilted his head up as if looking at the general. "I will miss seeing your eyes, the way they sparkle when you are content or happy, the way they go hard when something angers you. Your beautiful eyes are what I miss most and will miss most."

Tomomasa swallowed the enormous lump in his throat, blinking away the tears that threatened to flow. "You will see my eyes again, Takamichi. And when you do, you will see the love I have for you shining in them." He tightened his hold on his companion and prayed for all he was worth.

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The following day, Tomomasa was in his office engrossed in reports when his aide interrupted announcing Takamichi's presence. "Show him in and then leave us. I want no intrusions." He ordered the man, not taking his eyes from the papers before him.

"I can see you are brooding again." Takamichi's voice flowed into the room.

"You cannot see at the moment." The general replied, still not looking up from the reports.

The vice minister smiled to himself and moved further into the room. He noticed the decorated ribbon holding the long, thick, teal locks back from the general's striking features. "Where did you get such an elaborate ribbon for your hair? And since when do you tie it up?" Takamichi asked, knowing the shock his friend would soon be in.

"At the mark……" Tomomasa suddenly realized what exactly his partner was saying and looked up. "Taka…..Takamichi your eyes….." He stood and swiftly moved to his companion. "When…..where….?" He laid his hands over the vice minister's shoulders.

"A little while ago. I must have sat for several minutes not believing that I was actually seeing. I did not want it to be another figment of my imagination. When I realized it was not, I asked to be brought here…to you." He smiled.

"Brought here?"

"Things are still blurry." He said. "You have my glasses." He laughed softly. He knew Tomomasa had carried his glasses everywhere they went in the hopes his sight would return. He sighed when the general set his glasses over the bridge of his nose and attached the holder to his hair clip. "Arigatou, Tomomasa."

"Is that better? Everything in focus?" The teal haired Hachiyo bent slightly at the knees so he could look directly into gold eyes.

"Hai," Takamichi raised a hand and cupped one cheek. "Your eyes are so clear and so radiant."

"What do you see in them?"

"The same as what I feel for you: love."

FIN

A/N: The first lines of dialogue when Takamichi goes to Tomomasa's office after regaining his sight are from my Imoto-san. She always has great ideas and sparks my imagination. Kanpai!


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